Banned Books in Norway

The most common reason for books to be banned in Norway has been due to them being deemed offensive to the public modesty and morals.

Fra Kristiania-Bohêmen, Hans Jæger

Kristiania Bohemians – Edvard Munch (1907)

The book was immediately banned and most of the printed copies were confiscated by the Ministry of Justice. Jæger was sentenced to sixty days imprisonment and a hefty fine, for infringement of modesty and public morals, and for blasphemy. In addition to this, he lost his job as a Parliament stenographer.
(Have not been able to find an English translation, but there is a German one)

Albertine, Christian Krohg

Albertine a novel by Norwegian painter and writer Christian Krohg was written in 1886.
The book was published around 20 December 1886 and the day after, 21 December, it was confiscated by the police since the Minister of Justice requested to confiscate this piece of work. The Norwegian Supreme Court upheld the confiscation.
A 5,000 strong gathering of protesters, largely workers and students demonstrated outside Prime Minister Johan Sverdrup’s (1884–1889) office in January 1887. Prime Minister Sverdrup defended the confiscation but declared that he would solve the issue described in the novel, and within a few years, public prostitution was made illegal in the Norwegian capital.

Albertine to See the Police Surgeon – Christian Krohg (from 1885 until 1887)

(Norwegian original https://amzn.to/2XqZYZo)

The Song of the Red Ruby, Agnar Mykle

The Song of the Red Ruby (Sangen om den røde rubin) a novel written by Agnar Mykle in 1956.

From the trial against Agnar Mykle (photographer: Bjørn Fjørtoft)

The novel was controversial in Norway, and other countries, when it was published and ended in court.
The explicit sexual descriptions in the adventures of the potent main character caused controversy.
The publisher was acquitted in Norway, but for instance in Finland the book was confiscated and burnt.

Without a Stitch, Jens Bjørneboe

Without a Stitch (Uten en tråd, 1966), which was confiscated and banned in Norway. He was convicted for publishing a novel deemed pornographic, however, the trial made the book a huge success in foreign editions, and Bjørneboe’s financial problems were (for a period) solved. This book is the last book that has been banned in Norway and the ban has not been formally lifted, but the book is available for sale.

Jens Bjørneboe (Morgenposten / unknown photographer)

Snorri the Seal, Frithjof Sælen

Satirical book banned during the German occupation of Norway.

WW2 in Norway. Wartime books:

“Sylting uten sukker” by Henriette Schønberg Erken 2. “Takk fra norske barn” 3. “Snorre Sel” by Frithjof Sælen (post-War edition published by Ernst G. Mortensens forlag in the 1980’s)
From the exhibitions at Lofoten War Memorial Museum (“Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum”) in Svolvær, Norway.

Snorri the seal (Snorre Sel) by Frithjof Sælen, is a satirical book that was banned during the WWII German occupation. Throughout the story, a seal learns about life in a Norwegian harbor town and teaches children about the German occupation in a humorous way.
Sælen managed to flee Norway in 1944. He worked for the Norwegian High Command in the United Kingdom and after the war was awarded with the Defence Medal.